wood and henry howson



WASHINGTON D C N-PETERS. PHO

A'UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

WVM. W. W. VOOD AND HENRY HOWSON, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNQRS TO JNO. RICE, OF SAME PLACE.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING CUT-OFF VALVES OF STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent N o. 24,707, dated July 5, 1859.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VILLIAM lV. W. WOOD and HENRY HowsoN, both of thecity and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have inventeda new and Improved Positive Power Attachment to the Governors ofSteam-Engines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and eXact description of the saine, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Our invention consists in causing the positive power of the engine tooperate the throttle valves of steam engines, by the employment of t 7ovibrating, reciprocating or rotating strikers, actuated by any positivemovement of the engine, in combination with two inclined planesintervening between the said strikers and the valve or appliancesconnected therewith; any ball or other governor being so connected tothe strikers or to the inclined planes, that the movement of thegovernor, caused by any increase or diminution in the speed of theengine, shall change the position of the inclined planes in respect tothe strikers, or that of the strikers in respect to the inclined planes,the latter being thus the intermediate means of regulating the amount ofopening of the valve, to correspond with the speed of the engine, whilethe actual movement of the valve is effected by the power of the engineitself.

The object of our invention is to render the movement of the throttlevalve as certain as the movement of the engine itself, and, at the sainetime, sensitive of the slightest alteration in the speed of the engine,results which governors have been insufficient of themselves toaccomplish, especially when applied to marine engines.

In order to enable others to make and use our invention, we will nowproceed to describe the modes in which we carry it into effect.

On reference to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part `of thisspecification; Figure l, is a plan view of our positive power attachmentto governors. Figs. 2 and 3, end views, looking in the direction of thearrow, Fig. 1. Fig. 4, a View, showing a modified forni of ourinvention. Figu 5, a sectional view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6, a plan View ofFig. 4. Fig. 7, another modification of our invention.

On reference to Figs. l, 2 and 3, A is a lever connected to any ball,vane or other governor now used for regulating the admission of steam tothe valve chests of steam engines, this lever vibrating on a pinattached to a bracket a or other suitable attachment, and the movementof the lever depending upon the speed of the engine, in the same manneras the ordinary throttle valve lever of other governors. The short arinof the lever A is forked, and the forked ends have pins fitting into agroove in the sleeve B, which is arranged to slide up and down as wellas to turn freely on a stationary pin C. Two bent arms b and b projectfrom and form a part of the sleeve B, the arms having wedge shapedterminations, with straight perpendicular faces on the outside, parallelwith the center line of the pin C, and inclined faces on the inside, theinclinations of both being precisely at the saine angle and parallelwith each other. 0n the same stationary pin C a lever D is so hung, asto vibrate loosely, its proper vertical position being maintained bycollars, pins, nuts, or other suitable attachments. A posi-A tive andlimited vibrating motion is iin` parted to this lever, by rigidconnections with any working part of the engine, The lever D has twoprojections al and d one on each side of and at equal distances from itscenter. The end of the projection d coincides wit-h the perpendicularsurface of the wedge c, and the projection d with the per-V pendicularsurface of the wedge c. To the same permanent pin C, another lever E ishung loosely, and maintained in its proper position vertically bycollars or other appliances. The end of this lever is connected, by anysuitable system of rods and levers, to the throttle valve of the steamengine. In the present instance, it is illustrated as connected to anordinary plate valve F by means of a rod e, an opening f in the plate G,on which the valve slides, representing the coniinunication between thesteam pipe and the -valve chest of the cylinder.

The lever E has two curved projections 71. and L, one on each side, theprojection h being inclined so as to coincide with and so as to itsnuglyagainst the inclined face of the Wedge. 0, and the end 0f the projectionh being also inclined in a contrary direc-r tion, so as to coincide`with and fit snugly against the inclined face of the wedgecf, as seenin Figs. 2 and 3. Y

Vhen a sudden diminution kvin the speed of the engine has caused thegovernor to elevate the lever A, the sleeve B with its wedges will' havebeen depressed, and have assumed the position illustrated in Fig. 2, sothat the thickest portion of the wedge c will intervene between theprojection d on the lever D and the projection it on the lever E, thethinnest portion of the wedge c intervening between the projection clvon-the said lever D andA the ,projection 7L on the lever'E. When theparts are in this -position, the valve will be full open. When a suddenand dangerous -increase in the speed of the engine causes the governorto depress the arm A, -thesleeve B with its wedges will be elevated tothe position shown in Fig. 3, in which the thinner portion of the wedgec and the thicker portion of the wedge c intervene between therespective projections above mentioned. lWhen the parts are c in this.position, the valve is closed.

`As before remarked, a limited but positive vibrating motion is impartedto the lever D from any working -part of the en-y gine, thevibrationcontinuing as long as the engine is in motion. The vibration ofthis lever D is suoli, that its projections di and d, which we'term thestrikers, neverj extend beyond certain points in the arcs of the circlein which they move, the distance between the limit of the movement ofone striker and that of the other striker, measured over a continuationof the arc in which they move, being exactly the same as the distancebetween the perpendicular faces of the opposite wedges 0 and c', asmeasured over the same arc. l v

lThe appliances for operating the lever D should be such,rthat it shouldmake at least three or four complete vibrations for every completerevolution of the engine, inasmuch as the rapidity and promptness in themovement of the valve F dependson the speed of the lever. This will berendered more apparent hereafter.

Operation: Supposing the valveto be full open, as seen in Figs. l and 2,the governor having elevated the governor arm A, and consequentlydepressed the sleeve B, until the thickest portion of the wedge cintervenes between the striker Z and the projection 7L, and the thinnestportion of the wedge' c lbetween the striker CZ and the projection L. Aslong as the engine and governor remain at an uniform speed, the wedgeswill retain the above position, the strikers l and d during thevibration of the lever D only just touching the perpendicular sides oftheir respective wedges, without moving them or the valve F.

vthe perpendicular face of the wedge c, will `move it, together with thelever E, to an extent depending upon the thickness of the portion of thewedge presented to the striker. The opening f, therefore, will be closedtoa proportional extent, and when the opening is thus partially closed,it will remain so until another variation in the speed of the governortakes place, which .will alter the position of the wedges, so

thatl the strikers will move the lever E and valve F in one direction orthe other, ad1nit ting more or less steam to the engine, according toits requirements, thus tending to maintain it at an uniform speed; Itwill now be seen, that the opening and closing of the valve is not"effectedl directly from the governor as in vother engines, but by theypower of the enginek itselfpall the aid required from the governorbeing to raise or lower the sleeve asthe speed of the engine varies, andthus to present such variable intervention to the action of thestrikers, as shall move'the valve to an amount corresponding with thatof the increase or diminution in the speed of the'engine.A The suddensubmerging and emerging of steam boat propellers cause suddendiminutions or equally sudden increases in the speed of the engines,which require the most watchful attention of the engineers. The suddenincreases especially have a most injurious, and, not infrequently, amost fatal effect on the engines. It is well known to practical andexperienced engineers, that all the governors hitherto applied to marineengines have proved insufficient to remedy this evil, a sluggishnessinthe action of the governor or the want of power sutlicient to operatethe shut-off valves, being invariably the cause of this want of success.i

It is true, that an auxiliary steam cylinder, operated by a governor,has been used to some advantage,as an intermediate auxiliary between thegovernor and throttle valve, but this arrangement involves eX- pense,complication and uncertainty of action.

It will be at once seen, that the above described power attachment togovernors must be unerring in its action, accurate litting of theappliances for transmitting the must be most sensitive in its action,for the tions Vof the wedges, and move the lever E slightest variationin the position of the wedges must be communicated to the valve.

As to rapidity of action, this, as before remarked, depends upon thespeed, with which the lever D vibrates. This may be easily so arranged,that the valve will be operated before one fourth of a revolution of theengine has been accomplished, so that the tendency of the latter to runoff, on the emerging of the propeller, is arrested before any injuriouseffects can take place.

It will be readily seen, that the connec tions with the engine foroperating the lever D, those between the governor and wedges, and thosefor operating the valve must depend upon the particular class of engineto which our invention is applied, and to the position it is intended tooccupy with regard to the engine. The invention itself also admits ofseveral modifications, without departing from its main features.

1n Figs. et, 5 and 6, a modified form of our invention is illustrated.1n this instance, the lever D, with its strikers (Z and 0l', is causedby the engine to vibrate on a permanent pin C, another lever E, with onearm prolonged, so as to connect with the valve, being also hung loose toth`e same pin. Two wedge-formed pieces c and c, connected together, arearranged to slide up and down on a projection on the pin C, the governorrod ai, attached to the arm A, controlling the vertical position of thewedges, one of which bears against the pin 7L, and the other against thepin 71.', said pins being attached to the arm E, at equal distances fromits center. Any variation in the speed of the governor will becommunicated to the wedges, the thicker or thinner portion of each wedgebeing presented to one or the other of the strikers as the governorvaries, and the wedge that is struck operating on one of the pins 7L or7L of the arm E, the movement of which actuates the valve, so thatprecisely the same result is obtained, as that accomplished by the firstdescribed modification.

Fig. l is a diagram, illustrating a third modification, in which thewedges c and c are secured to a lever E, which is connected to thevalve, both wedges and lever vibrating loosely on a permanent pin C. Thestrikers Z and (Z project from an arm D, the end of which is hung to apin on a slide H, to which a reciprocating motion of a determined lengthis imparted by the engine. The opposite end of the arm D is connected tothe governor rod a', so that any variation in the vertical position ofthe latter must present the reciprocating strikers to different porandvalve accordingly. This modification is precisely similar in principleto those above described, the only difference in its operation being,that the vertical position of the strikers is varied by the governor,instead of the wedges being altered, as in the two first describedmodifications.

1n some instances, the strikers may be attached to a spindle and thelatter caused to revolve, so as to come in Contact with the inclinedplanes, when any movement of the governor takes place.

Having now described the construction and operation of our improvedpositive power attachment to governors, we wish it to be understood,that we do not desire to confine ourselves to the precise form orconstruction of the several parts or to any of the modificationsdescribed, as the parts may be considerably altered and othercombinations and modifications substituted for those set forth, withoutdeparting from the main features of the invention. To also wish it to beunderstood, that we are aware that edges have been heretofore used inconnection with governors, for tripping the valves and entirely cuttingo the steam from the cylinders of steam engines.

Ve therefore limit our claim to, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

Causing the positive power of the enOine to operate the throttle valve,by the employment of two vibrating, reciprocating or rotating strikers,actuated by any positive movement of the engine, in combination with twoinclined planes, intervening between the said strikers and the valve orappliances connected therewith; any governor being so connected to thestrikers or to the inclined planes, that the movement of the governorcaused by any increase or diminution in the speed of the engine, shallchange the position of the inclined planes in respect to the strikers,or that of the strikers in respect to the inclined planes, and that thelatter may thereby be the intermediate means of regulating the extent ofthe opening of the valve, to suit the speed of the engine, while theactual movement of the valve is effected through one or the other of thestrikers, by the power of the engine itself, as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

W'M. YV. 1V. WOOD. HENRY HOVSON. Titnesses HENRY ODIORNE, HORACE SEE.

